Itachi's Mission to Kirigakure
by DistantSonata
Summary: I RP with a very well-spoken and literate group of Naruto fans quite often. As -{Itachi}-, I thought it would be nice to type up the solo-mission, as I can't really do a solo-mission... with... other people..;; Itachi has assigned himself to finding out about Kisame's past, but a few unseen complications arise.
1. Chapter 1

Itachi was silent for a moment, his brother's words sinking in. Wordlessly, he ruffled the boy's hair, brushing past him and exiting the infamous Orochimaru's base. "Nii-san. Be careful." Sasuke called after him. "...Take care, Ototo-kun." He murmured in response, merging into the darkness of the surrounding shrubbery.

Kisame was right, of course. The mission he had given himself was stupid, illogical and out of line. For one, it didn't help the Akatsuki. For another, his plan was to waltz into Kirigakure. It wasn't his brightest scheme.

"If I make it out of this without a single scratch..." His voice was muffled by the forest around him. He trudged onwards, in no particular hurry. He paused in mid-step, closing his eyes and visualizing the map of the hidden village. The first checkpoint Itachi had set was just past the eastern side of Konohona. He had scouted out several places where he could spend the night, none of which involved an inn. The goal was to save the money he had brought with him until he entered the village; thus, the idea was to make it to the checkpoint by morning. _Roughly eight hours until dawn breaks... Four hours traveling at the maximum, leaving four hours to prepare for the second stage as well as another two or three before I make an appearance at the gate..._

He opened his eyes again, his sharingan brimming with chakra, and jumped, alighting on the tree branch above him. His foot touched the branch for only a second before he jumped again, the trees becoming all but a blur as he moved through the forest.

The farther away from the base, and his brother, he went, the more alert he became. He didn't spend energy keeping up a false expression, though he rarely did regardless, finding it tedious and a waste of time. He had better things to do.

Like finding out why Kisame joined the Akatsuki in the first place.

He stopped his mind from providing theories, focussing on his surroundings. His jumps slowed, and eventually halted, as he neared the Village Hidden in the Leaf. He skirted the gatekeepers, keeping to the dark cover the vegetation provided, and eventually maneuvered around Konohona's border.

Two hours after leaving the base, he arrived at the checkpoint. He stepped off the branch, landing in a crouch on the ground, and checked the environment for hostiles. When he was as sure as any paranoid man could be that he was safe, he rose and examined the grove. Beyond a small clearing, there was a equally small cavern, that looked like it could just fit the man, albeit with a bit of squeezing. The 5'9" Uchiha summoned his mental map again as he settled into the sediment.

_So far, so good... _He closed his eyes after marking his progress, letting his weariness drop him into a fitful slumber.


	2. Chapter 2

His eyes snapped open and he quickly surveyed the area, covering the four bases the anbu had drilled into his head; where, who, why, and how. _Konohona outskirts. Alone. Mission. Free will. _Having gotten that step out of the way, he relaxed, allowing himself to truly look around. His gaze took in the area from his curled position in the cavern. The sky had begun to lighten, but the birds had not yet begun to chirp. _Either it's around five in the morning, or something has scared them into silence..._ He pushed himself to his feet, guiding himself out of the cavern by placing a hand on the rock. His sharingan slowly bled out of his pupils, turning his eyes crimson. When traveling alone, it's safer to assume the worst. Following that theme, he brought his hand to his katana, the blade seen only for the split second it took for him to pull it into the sleeve of his cloak.

He closed his eyes, searching for chakra signals. There was a large mass of them in Konhona, that much he knew for certain. Beyond that, he could not feel any strays.

His guard never lowered, however. He was too close to the village, in his perspective, though he was much closer to Port City than to Konohona. He was a wanted criminal everywhere, but even more so in the Land of Fire, and he couldn't allow any room for error. His senses remained on high alert as he took a seat on the dew-sprinkled grass, crossing his legs and placing his pack in front of him. After digging out a thermos of tea, he watched the sky gradually lighten, turning from purple to blue, then from blue to orange. After the sun had made sizable progress, he capped the thermos, having taken a few sips, and returned it to the bag.

He checked his surroundings in detail once more before addressing the next checkpoint. The sun had risen to the point of being able to illuminate the clearing, and thus he took out the hard copy of the map he had previously kept in his head. _I'm here.._ His eyes rested on the place, refusing to give any idea of where he was going to the forest by pointing. He carved out the path with his eyes. _...By the end of the day, I should be settled inside Kirigakure, and have a plan for getting the information..._

His eyes closed again, quelling the burning he felt after not getting enough sleep for a few moments. _...Time to get moving._

The Uchiha picked up his bag and stood, swinging it over his shoulder with his left hand, keeping his right firmly gripping his sword. He glanced at the sky again, feeling a slight breeze pass through, ruffling his cloak._...What will the wind bring me this time...?_


	3. Chapter 3

By this time, the Akatsuki had been getting noticed, so he decided it would be best to hide his cloak in the cavern, and place branches over the cavern's entrance. In addition, he pulled a pair of mute blue legwarmers over his ankles. From the information he had gathered, this was common in Kirigakure. He had observed Kisame's choice in clothing as well, as many of the Akatuki tended to keep the style of their village. This led him to place another pair over his wrists, the fabric extending to reach his elbows.

He crouched at a nearby stream, checking his reflection in the rushing water. From what he could tell, he looked strange. _...I still look like a Konohona ninja._ After a brief moment of hesitation, he took out a kunai and rendered his shirt fishnet-less. _Better... Somewhat..._ He placed his forehead protector in his bag and took out a roll of bandages, using them to surround his head and part of his neck, hiding his jet-black hair from sight. He looked into the water again. _Much better._

Satisfied, but with nowhere to hide his sword, he readjusted the bag on his back and sheathed his katana. He turned and surveyed the area through the holes he had made for his eyes, then jumped into the trees, moving with increased speed.

Within the hour, he had made it to Port City. The sun had risen enough for it to be considered morning, and a few birds began to sing. Despite the peaceful scenery, Uchiha Itachi was not calmed. He was restlessly gauging the reactions of those he passed, feeling somewhat nude without the cloak he had worn for so long. Refusing to be bothered by it, he pressed on.

"Are you boarding?" A tall, wiry man who appeared to be in his late sixties asked, referring to the barge behind him.

"Headed to Kirigakure, right?" He responded, his voice raspy due to the pressure of the bandages on his throat.

"That's right."

Wordlessly, the Uchiha dug in his pack, procuring the amount needed for the ride and handing it over before stepping onto the boat. The other passengers hardly spared him a glance, which raised his confidence slightly. He took a seat on the end nearest the exit and waited, a hand lazily slung over the edge of the structure.

Half an hour later, the barge spluttered into motion. He closed his onyx eyes, listening to the waves crashing about him. Earlier the man had decided that he would rather be half blind than have himself picked out of the crowd for his sharingan. Only time would tell whether that was a good decision or not.

For the moment, though, he needed to stay focused. His eyes opened again, and he observed the other passengers. All of them seemed to be from Kirigakure, he could tell by their headbands. At this realization, he mentally cursed. He had no headband to prove he was truly from the village. Without his sharingan, however, he couldn't risk throwing his sword overboard to save face. No, he would have to think of another reason. And quickly.

It was then that he noticed something else. The boat was well constructed, but there were dents scattered all over the place. And another thing; the captain was nowhere in sight. After close analyzing, he deduced that the captain was actually within the boat. Which could only mean...

The sound of the sea was abruptly broken by obscenities. "Don't TOUCH my SWORD unless you wanna DIE by it!"

"So you think you can? I'm up for a little sparring." The speaker smirked at the man in front of him, clearly confident of his strength.

_...Just my luck... These shinobi are looking for a fight... Hopefully they won't- _He jerked to his feet, a row of kunai peppering the chair he had been sitting on. _...Maybe I can avoid them until we hit land... For three hours..._ He slunk off into the shadows, muscles tensed, and watched as the deck broke into chaos.

He managed to avoid the others for a full hour before men started dropping, either out of exhaustion or blood loss. The same man who had induced the fight stood amongst his fellow villagers, gazing around with that very same smirk. Itachi narrowed his eyes, trying to make out his features, but his sight failed him, blurring whatever recognizable traits he had, beyond the stranger's overall brown hair and gray clothing.

And then the man noticed him. "... You there. What are you doing, hiding away? Come and join the madness." He laughed, displaying said madness.

_I could continue hiding and be attacked here, or I could step into the open._ Preferring not to be pushed into a corner, he stood, walking out of the shadows and towards his opponent. _...If I lose, I have to make it believable. He's too sharp for that, though. If I win, then I'll be blamed upon reaching the Mist. Drawing it out seems to be the only option... But can I maintain it for two hours...? That's pushing it, and beyond that, I'll be tired..._

The grinning man leaned on his sword. "What's the matter, Bandages? Scared of me already?" Itachi kept his gaze level, but frowned, the movement hidden by his coverings. _He doesn't seem the least bit tired... There's nothing I can do about it now, though._ He swung his katana out of it's sheathe and to the side, watching the man all the while. In turn, the man's insane grin went up a notch. "Let's spar, Bandages."

His opponent lunged forward with impressive speed, his sword cutting through the air. Itachi almost didn't parry in time; his reactions without the sharingan were much slower. Their blades clashed, and for the moment, it seemed the man would overpower him. Up close, Itachi could identify him better. His jaw was drawn taut with effort, and his eyes were colored a dizzying yellow. His skin was pale, almost to the point of gray, though that could easily be because of the fog that was closing in around the boat. With a surprising show of strength, the Uchiha pushed his opponent back, making him catch himself before he stumbled.

"Not bad, Bandages... Not bad at all..." The man murmured to himself, wiping his mouth. The pause lasted only for a few seconds before he launched into another offensive, forcing Itachi to keep up with his increasing speed. In the back of his mind, the Uchiha had to keep a tight lid on his kekkai genkai, which was worming around his head, trying to activate itself to aid him.

When they broke apart again, both were breathless. Silence ensued as each man sized the other up, trying to determine if they had any chance of winning, or if it would end in stalemate. Itachi, for the most part, was simply tired, having blocked all of his opponent's attacks, and held his own, for the most part.

The stranger eyed the Uchiha critically before breaking the quiet. "... Toukou Shidai." His voice sounded rougher; likely as a result of their match.

"Yu Nanzo."

The boat slowed to a halt, tipping slightly in the waves, though less sharply than when it had been in the open sea. The man who had guided Itachi into the boat reappeared from a hatch in the floor, pushing aside some poor soul who hadn't made it through Toukou's training session. "Everyone who can walk, get off! Those of you who can't, hope to hell you can swim!"

The Uchiha glanced around the boat, steadying his breathing and sheathing his sword, then turned and walked off, stepping onto the dock. The lack of rocking made him stumble, but his arm was jerked back and steadied. He turned his head slightly, meeting the yellow eyes with his black ones. "..."

"What a glare. And here I was asking if you'd like some help, considering you're not from this village."

"And what makes you think that?" His voice, though distorted, still conveyed his regularly neutral tone.

"I've fought pretty much everyone here at least once. I never forget." He tapped his head, releasing the Uchiha's arm to do so.

"..." He looked ahead of him and around the port, somewhat daunted. "...Your offer is appreciated." Any man that held his own against him deserved respect, and beyond that, Itachi couldn't have him as an enemy. It was risky either way, and he preferred to take the less risky choice.

Toukou grinned. "I look forward to it. Are you staying somewhere in particular?"

"...No. I assume you have a recommendation."

"Naturally."

"Lead the way."

Toukou was more than willing to do so, and fifteen minutes later Itachi was standing outside of a run-down inn. He looked it over, checking the exits, number of windows, and position in the street. Satisfied with what he saw, he pushed aside the strands of cloth barring the entrance, and entered, gaze flitting around the room.

"May I help you?" An elderly man with considerable weight sat behind a desk, a cigar in his mouth. The man tapped the ash off, his plump hand hovering over a metal disk.

"...How much does a room cost?"

"750 yen a night, depending on the suite. Looks like you'll have the lower ones, though." _Surely I don't appear so rough? Though, that can be both a bad and a good thing..._

He drew the payment out of his bag and handed it over, recoiling as they touched. The man dropped a pair of keys onto the counter. Attached was a strand of paper with the room number on it.

He glanced to the door after scooping the keys up, where Toukou was leaning against the frame, watching with his arms across his chest. "...Thank you." His gaze turned to the hall and he walked forward, reading the numbers of each room through squinted eyes.

"See you later, Nanzo."

Itachi opened the room he had been assigned and peered inside. It was a dimly lit, one-room suite with a bathroom off to the left. A window and a bed occupied the far wall, and the wall on his right was blank. He stepped inside, viewing the wall containing the door, seeing a wooden dresser in the corner. He shut the door and set his bag down before falling onto the bed, exhausted. He closed his eyes briefly, resting his strained muscles.

After a few moments he ventured into the bathroom. The sink and the shower both showed signs of use, yellow limestone stains leading down to the drain. He locked himself in and started the water, keeping his katana on the sink, within easy reach.

His shower lasted all but seven minutes before the water became bipolar.

He was not pleased.

The steam leisurely wafted out of the bathroom door as the Uchiha took a seat on his bed, his gaze once again dyed with the color of the sharingan. After checking to ensure the door was locked and the blinds were closed, he laid on the bed once more, staring at the ceiling. His mind was blank, worn out from the fighting. He forced himself to think about his checkpoint. How much time did he have left? After brief reconnaissance, he learned that it was roughly two in the afternoon. The mist that strangled the land would have made him none the wiser, though.

He pushed himself off the hardened mattress and got to his feet, checking his reflection as he passed the bathroom. Not a crack in his disguise. _Good..._

The Uchiha reached for his bag, laying out his supplies over the bed. He had numerous medicinal herbs, ranging from pain killers to ones that settled the stomach. Among the herbs were several packages of food, wrapped in a white papery substance. All together, the squares held more than enough for a week-long journey. Next to the food was a thermos of tea and a bottle of water. Worried that he may become dehydrated, the man pressed the bottle to his lips and drank, swallowing small gulps, so as not to drink too much at one time. He returned the bottle to the bed and surveyed an assortment of weapons, then checked his medicinal kit. Everything was in its rightful place.

Satisfied, he repacked everything and picked up the bag, preferring not to leave anything in the room he couldn't take with him. He surpressed his sharingan and exited the inn, walking towards the large, round structure he had seen in so many reference books; where the Mizukage held court.

He made several loops, gleaning information from strangers as they passed him, before deciding that any more would look suspicious, and turned to head back to the inn. He was met with no incidents, and reentered with ease.

Again in his room, he fell to setting traps and seals, preventing him from being surprised. When he had enough, he once more collapsed on the tattered bed, and reviewed his performance for the day.

_The boat will prove difficult on the way back. I need to stay away from Shidai... And if I stay too much longer, I could be found out. Beyond that, I don't seem to have raised too many questions..._

He raised a hand to his throat, pulling off the bandages around his neck and head, letting them drop to the floor. His sandals followed, each with a dull thunk of their own. He curled up, pulling the thin blanket over him, and closed his eyes. Eventually, he drifted off.


	4. Chapter 4

Itachi Uchiha was being haunted again.

He woke up in the middle of the night, his vision blurred by his lingering nightmare.

_"You MONSTER!"_

The woman's shrill screams echoed throughout his head, even as he came to full consciousness. He pressed his face into his hands, hunched over. Minutes later he swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his bare feet noiselessly touching the floor.

The Uchiha stood, intending to go wash his face, but stopped, his anbu training ordering him to check the traps he had placed. He sank to his knees, limbs sore, and looked around, not expecting to find anything out of the ordinary.

The shreds that remained of the seal he had placed near his bed said otherwise.

His chakra enveloped the room and he lunged towards the window, snatching a kunai in the process, and fending off an assortment of weaponry that shot out of the darkness that consumed the opposite corner.

"Yu Nanzo. I knew there was something odd about you." Out of the shadows stepped Toukou, much to the Uchiha's dismay. His sharingan, which he had subconsciously activated after finding the torn seal, glowed faintly, darkened by his facing away from the window.

"After meeting you on the boat, and watching you examine this inn... Did you really believe I'd leave you alone? You walked around the Mizukage's building three times, doing nothing more than stopping by a tea shop on the way. Whatever you're after... You won't be getting it. I'm collecting the bounty on your head, Uchiha." Toukou spat the man's name, tearing his blade out of it's sheathe and lunging.

This time, however, Itachi had his sharingan.

The raven-haired man was sitting on his bed again. The window on his right allowed in bleak amounts of moonlight, enough to illuminate a square of the floor. In that square was a severed arm. Splotches of blood patterned the wood. The metallic scent enveloped the entire room, choking the sole living resident.

He rubbed his eyes, feeling dizzy. Wordlessly, he got to his feet, pulling his bag over his shoulder. He opened the window to a gust of chilled wind that whipped the scent of blood out in less than a second. Outside, rain fell heavily; the makings of a thunderstorm.

It was roughly one in the morning when Itachi Uchiha ventured into one of the worst storms Kirigakure had faced in three years. No longer caring for his disguise, he trudged away from the inn. Whatever small amount of body heat he could conjure was instantly ripped away by a merciless gale.

Rain fell like bullets, not necessarily helping his sore muscles. It was all he could do not to constantly think about how miserable this mission had turned out to be, and how when he got back he would give Kisame an extra apple. He would keep the 'why' portion of that seemingly selfless deed to himself, though. No need to announce he was wrong.

His thoughts eventually came full circle as he kept his head down, trying to reduce the sting of the 'harmless' drops of water that pelted him with the force of lead.

_Never again._ He swore to himself, only distantly able to make out the shape of the Mizukage's building through the surrounding gloom. Lighting lit up the sky for a split second before it was transcended by an inescapably loud boom that he would firmly believe could be heard all the way from the Akatsuki hideout, just past the western border of the Land of Fire. The trees around him were torn from one side to the other, their branches hissing, and occasionally snapping.

After what seemed to be an eternity he arrived at the base. His plan _had_ been to wait until the guards switched, but in this weather he couldn't even _see _the guards, let alone jump them at the impeccably right time.

He deferred to his default strategy; waltz in.

Two minutes later he was surrounded.

_Not my brightest idea._

He unleashed a flurry of attacks, aided by the confusion the raging storm brought, the blinding flashes of lightning equally slowing them all down. Half an hour later, the ones who could walk went desperately calling for reinforcements. The Uchiha dashed into the complex, skirting various hallways and simply attacking anyone who blocked his path.

He eventually found his way to what seemed like the Mist's base of intelligence. He barred the doors, not that it would help, and dragged his water-heavy body to the files, trying not to soak them with the drops that were now forming puddles wherever he walked. He flipped through the papers, leaving spots of wet wherever his fingertips met the pages. His eyes quickly scanned each one, carelessly throwing the ones he didn't need to the floor. Soon a massive pile had built up, making it nearly impossible to contain the water he carried with him.

He dropped the papers in his hands and spun, facing the entrance. As if on cue, a group of shinobi burst through the door, fanning out into the room and surrounding him once more. _I need more time...! _He hissed and rapidly formed the handsigns needed for the Water Dragon Bullet Technique. At once a dragon rose from the water around him, some even blasting through from outside, forming a massive creature that writhed and pulsated in the rhythm of the rampaging storm. It hurtled towards the enemy ninja.

_That won't last long, they're all trained in water manipulation... What can I...?_ That was all the time his dragon allotted him. The shinobi, true to their nature, had taken it down, sealed it away, and were now dashing towards him.

_I have no choice..._

There was a flash of lightning, and the entity known as Susano'o seemed to rise out of it, exploding forth and creating a sizable crator in the ground near the Uchiha's feet. The enemies recoiled in surprise before their jutsu launched towards the specter. The spray encapsulated the entire room for minutes, before it died down and revealed the Uchiha unharmed behind the specter's shield; the impenetrable Yata Mirror.

The battle was over in minutes, and not one enemy shinobi remained. Even still, he knew without a doubt that there would be more. He performed the Water Dragon Bullet Technique once again, sending the excess water out of the already-destroyed metal door. He resumed his search after dispelling Susano'o, trying to keep a level head, despite the chaos of the weather as well as the increasing pressure of his situation.

Several eternities later he found what he was looking for. He read it, read it again, then shoved it into his bag and jumped into another two squads of incoming ninja, who clearly did not expect him to do such a thing. He threw himself outside and ran as fast as he could, knowing all too well that this was now a test of stamina. If he could outrun these ninja, he was home free. If he couldn't, he was doomed.

He really wished he had trained himself harder.

_No time for that...! _He dashed through the undergrowth, blindly weaving between trees. Lightning flashed, thunder boomed, and although he could not see his pursuers, he _knew _they were there. And they were probably closer than he wanted. The thought spurred him onwards, and he hurtled through the vegetation, rain scouring his face.

When he reached the port, he was devastated. The storm, though seeming to have been calming when he was closer in, had not yet reached it's peak over the sea. The waves rolled and crashed against the bank. Running along water was easy, but running across a sea in it's current state was suicide. He swore, adjusted his pack, closed his eyes for a moment and jumped off the bridge.

It was roughly three in the afternoon by the time the Uchiha awoke. He had managed to cross the sea, and had dragged his waterlogged body up the beach and under the shade of a tree before he collapsed out of pure exhaustion. It was by sheer luck that he wasn't noticed prior.

All traces of the horrid weather had vanished, a soft, gentle wind rustling the leaves of the trees, allowing specks of sunlight to touch the Uchiha's limp form. He groaned softly as he opened his eyes. Every muscle felt like it was on fire. He could hardly move in this state, so he let his mind wander.

_I'm... Actually kind of thirsty... _The notion brought a quirky smile to the man's face, which he quickly regretted, as even the small movement brought an onslaught of pain.

He engaged his abdomen to pull his bag off him, despite his body's screams of protest, delivered as indiscriminate bursts of fire that ignited with every action. His hand brought an herb to his mouth, and it sat on his tongue as he closed his eyes, too tired to chew. A slow numbness spread through his limbs, enabling him to stand, though shakily, and begin his journey back. His mind sluggishly pulled up a blurred map.

_Mission... Successful..._


End file.
